Media coverage of the hemp ban tucked inside the recent agriculture spending bill has focused almost exclusively on human health, consumer rights, and ramifications for the agriculture industry. What hasn’t received equal attention is the hemp ban’s effect on some of the most vulnerable members of society, including animals who have no voice to protest the change.
I founded The Asher House animal sanctuary, a nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates animals that have been abused or discarded and provides them with a safe home.
Today, the sanctuary cares for more than 150 high-risk animals. Through the non-profit and independently, I have rehomed thousands of dogs over the years.
Many of our residents have experienced trauma and have chronic mental and physical illnesses. We have found, partly through my own personal experience, that CBD offers these animals a second chance at peace and happiness, which the new law strips away. To be clear, CBD has been a major cornerstone of our animals’ lives - for dogs, cats, horses and even parrots. It’s a powerful story also witnessed by 14 million followers on my personal social media accounts.
To understand why this bill matters and how it will hurt countless lives, including animals, it helps to know why I started The Asher House and to meet the dog who helped me realize how powerful CBD could be for bringing forgotten animals’ relief.
Lillie’s Story
In April, 2016, I adopted Lillie, my first Saint Bernard, from a high-risk kill shelter in Los Angeles. Before she was rescued, Lillie was found lying in a puddle behind a dumpster. When I brought her home, I had no idea what we were about to face together. That first night, I was jolted awake by Lillie, who was shaking violently. She was having a seizure, the first of many to come.
Lee Asher with Lillie and another dog at The Asher House animal sanctuary.Photo by Luke Barton
What followed were countless vet visits, medications, scans, and treatments. Eventually, I was given the recommendation no pet parent should ever hear: euthanasia. I was told there were no more options and that her quality of life would never improve.
I refused to accept that.
After exhausting nearly every conventional option available, I tried CBD. This was right around the time Charlotte Figi and her family had seen some amazing results, and, considering the alternative was euthanasia, I decided to try it for Lillie. Within just a few days of treatment starting, the frequency of her seizures began to decrease. Within months, they stopped entirely. But what mattered just as much was what happened next; I finally met the real Lillie. She became joyful, outgoing, and fully herself.
For so long, Lillie’s illness had trapped her in a body that couldn’t keep up with her spirit. CBD helped give her life back. I can’t say with absolute certainty that CBD alone changed her fate, but I can say that the decision to try it gave Lillie seven beautiful, seizure-free years she would not have otherwise had.
That experience changed everything for Lillie, but also for me. I made a promise to spend my life not just rescuing animals, but also helping the people who love them to give them the best lives possible.
Offering a Home and Healing
Lillie’s story may feel extraordinary, and it is. But it isn’t rare. At The Asher House animal sanctuary, all of our animals are given Asher House Wellness CBD daily. They take it for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is that I have seen firsthand how much it helps these animals truly thrive.
In addition, we hear from thousands of families through Asher House Wellness who rely on CBD every day to help their animals live with less pain and fear and allow them to age with dignity and comfort. So many pet parents caring for dogs with seizures, arthritis, anxiety, chronic pain, and terminal illness tell us CBD has made the difference between suffering and comfort, between giving up and having hope. 
Lee Asher and Lillie with other dogs that are part of the pack at The Asher House. The nonprofit cares for some 150 animals, and through the nonprofit and independently, Asher has rehomed thousands of dogs over the years.Photo by Luke Barton
Science is beginning to catch up with what so many caregivers already know. A Cornell-led clinical trial showed that dogs with osteoarthritis who received cannabidiol experienced statistically significant improvements in pain and mobility. Meanwhile, other studies have shown CBD can slow the growth of canine cancer cells in laboratory settings by triggering cell death.
Such findings demand more research, not eradication of access, and yet, proposed language in the 2026 Agricultural Appropriations Bill threatens to effectively eliminate nearly all hemp-derived products, including full-spectrum CBD oils that families across the country rely on every day.
RELATED: US Hemp Roundtable Strongly Opposes Proposed Senate Language to Recriminalize Hemp
A Step in the Wrong Direction
If the hemp ban is not reversed before next year, humans and animals will both lose out on a powerful, non-addictive therapy. I have a brother, D.J. Gugenheim, who is an Academy Award-nominated producer and now my partner in Asher House Wellness. For years, he struggled with severe insomnia until he started using CBN and CBD, two of the compounds that would be impacted with this legislation. He is sleeping through the night for the first time in 10 years. Who would be so cruel as to want to take that away from him, leaving him to rely on terrible prescriptions and over-the-counter medications that made his problem worse?
In fact, it was after my own terrible journey with pain medication for scoliosis and resulting back surgeries that I first discovered how helpful CBD can be for pain management. It was why I had CBD on hand to give Lillie when she needed a second chance to live.
To be clear, I support smart, responsible regulation. I support protecting people, especially children, from intoxicating products being marketed irresponsibly. But banning hemp-derived products that contain trace, naturally occurring THC would wipe out nearly every full-spectrum CBD product on the market.
That decision would cause real harm to animals who don’t get to vote and who don’t have a voice in this matter unless we advocate for them. They rely on us to protect them, and we rely on lawmakers to listen when lives are at stake.
It has been two years since Lillie crossed the rainbow bridge. She spent seven incredible, seizure-free years with me. This is not political for us; it is personal. It is about compassion, dignity, and the right to access a proven, safe and reliable therapy that has already saved and improved countless lives.
If you believe in protecting access to safe, full-spectrum hemp products for people and pets, now is the time to act. Visit Repeal the Hemp Ban to learn more and contact your lawmakers. Your voice matters, and together, we can ensure that compassionate, science-backed solutions remain available for the animals and families who need them.
Lee Asher is a renowned speaker, animal advocate and founder of The Asher House, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and providing lifelong care for high-risk animals, and of Asher House Wellness, which provides products and support for pets and their owners. A prominent figure in the animal rescue community — with a massive social media following of more than 14 million people across platforms — he has used his influence to raise awareness about animal welfare and inspire countless individuals to make a difference in the lives of animals in need. His tireless dedication to rescuing dogs, cats, horses and other animals has earned him a reputation as a true champion for the voiceless.
Asher has been featured on “Ellen,” TMZ, the Discovery Channel, among others. He also starred in the reality show “My Pack Life” on Animal Planet and the documentary “Ruff Life With Lee Asher.” His upcoming book, set to be published with National Geographic, will take readers on an inspiring adventure into the world of rescue animals, offering a behind-the-scenes look at his mission and the transformative power of unconditional love.
